Call for the creation of a UN parliamentary assembly (06/03/2019)

An international group of MPs calls for a body to strengthen the democratic representation of the world’s citizens in global affairs and the UN’s decision-making, reports The Guardian, 6 March 2019.

Prime Minister Shinzo Abe addressing the General Assembly of the United Nations in September 2018

(Source: Sankei News)

The UN, the multilateral order and democracy are under attack. Business as usual and lofty rhetoric are not sufficient to counter this threat. Despite many warnings and recommendations, not much has been done to prepare the UN for this challenge. The time for complacency and complaints is over. Now courageous leadership is needed.

The panel of eminent persons on UN-civil society relations warned almost 15 years ago that the UN must do more to strengthen global governance and tackle democratic deficits. The panel stressed that more systematic engagement of parliamentarians, national parliaments and local authorities in the UN would strengthen global governance, confront democratic deficits in intergovernmental affairs, buttress representational democracy and connect the UN better with global opinion.

Current arrangements are not adequate.

When the international campaign for a UN parliamentary assembly (UNPA) was launched 11 years ago, the campaign’s patron, the late former UN secretary general Boutros Boutros-Ghali said we need to promote the democratisation of globalisation, before globalisation destroys the foundations of democracy.

It is with great concern that we are now witnessing how this development is unfolding. The establishment of a parliamentary assembly at the UN has become an indispensable step to achieve democratic control of globalisation.

We, the undersigning members of parliament, affirm our commitment to the goal of creating a UNPA in order to strengthen the democratic representation of the world’s citizens in global affairs and the UN’s decision-making.

We invite our fellow MPs from across the world who are democratically elected to join our parliamentary group for a UNPA in order to strengthen and coordinate our efforts. Together we can help build the political momentum and pressure that is needed to achieve our goal.

We believe the 75th anniversary of the UN in 2020 must be used as an opportunity to take stock and initiate far-reaching reforms, including the establishment of a UNPA.

We call on the UN secretary general, the president of the general assembly, the heads of states and governments and their foreign ministers as well as the representatives of UN member states in New York to initiate and support necessary steps in preparation of a meaningful UN reform summit in 2020 and towards the creation of a UNPA.

Alban BagbinMember of parliament, GhanaTommy BroughanMember of parliament, IrelandIbrahim BunduFormer member of parliament, Sierra LeoneOmar De Marchena GonzálezMember of parliament, Dominican RepublicJennifer De TemmermanMember of parliament, FranceSigmar GabrielMember of parliament and former foreign minister, GermanyNik GuggerMember of parliament, SwitzerlandJens HolmMember of parliament, SwedenAndrej HunkoMember of parliament, GermanyFernando IglesiasMember of parliament, ArgentinaDaniel JositschSenator, SwitzerlandKatja KeulMember of parliament, GermanyJameleddine KhemakhemFormer member of parliament, TunisiaJo LeinenMember of the European parliament, GermanyFungayi Jessie MajomeFormer member of parliament, ZimbabweYannis ManiatisMember of parliament and former minister of environment, energy and climate change, GreeceDavid MartinMember of the European parliament, ScotlandSmári McCarthyMember of parliament, IcelandStevens MogkalapaFormer member of parliament, South AfricaFlorence MutuaMember of parliament, KenyaSunil B PantMember of parliament, NepalVictor PerliMember of parliament, GermanyLilia PuigMember of parliament, ArgentinaSyed Naveed QamarMember of parliament and former minister of defence, PakistanAchyuta SamantaMember of parliament, IndiaAxel SchäferMember of parliament, GermanyUwe SchummerMember of parliament, GermanyStefan SchwartzeMember of parliament, GermanyIvone SoaresMember of parliament, MozambiqueMathias SteinMember of parliament, GermanyNomsa Tarabella-MarchesiMember of parliament, South AfricaGeorge VellaFormer member of parliament and former foreign minister, MaltaHeinrich VolminkFormer member of parliament, South Africa

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